Club Benefits
- Rating: 3.5/5 stars
- Verdict: "Roommates is a funny college comedy about two fast friends who just as quickly become sworn enemies. A particularly questionable structural decision hurts the pacing, but Sadie Sandler's Devon is a likeable and relatable lead, and Chloe East is great as the 'cool girl,' who smiles while stabbing you in the back."
- Where to watch: "Roommates' is on Netflix now
It’s easy to be cynical about a new Netflix movie like “Roommates.” The streaming service has dropped plenty of skippable, low-brow comedies over the years, so I’ll admit to being a little dismissive of this college-set movie ahead of its Netflix debut today (April 17).
Looks can be deceiving, and in the case of “Roommates,” this comedy is a real pleasant surprise. It’s by no means the most inventive movie, clearly tipping its cap to genre heavyweights like "Mean Girls" and "Pitch Perfect," but it’s funny, likeable and more than a little relatable. It’s a Netflix movie with heart, with a great leading turn from Sadie Sandler.
There are some structural issues, and the ending sprints to the finish, which is at odds with the time taken to set the scene out of the gate. However, “Roommates” is significantly more enjoyable than I expected and a reminder not to judge a Netflix movie on your initial impression.
Article continues belowWhat is ‘Roommates’ about?
Devon (Sadie Sandler, daughter of Adam Sandler) never found her place in high school (or even middle school before it). She craves a true best friend and, above all, acceptance by her peers. Her goal is to reinvent herself ahead of starting her freshman year at college.
At orientation, Devon meets Celeste (Chloe East), an archetypal “cool chick” who seems to have it all figured out and is wildly confident. These two characters might seem at odds, but they become ultra-fast friends before Devon pops the big question: "Will you be my roommate?"
But what starts as a blossoming friendship quickly spirals into passive-aggressive tension, ignored personal boundaries, and lots of cruel insults dressed up as compliments. Eventually, it becomes clear that Devon and Celeste aren’t friends, but actually enemies.
Should you stream ‘Roommates’ on Netflix?
It might be sacrilegious to say, but “Roommates” plays out a bit like a modern-day “Mean Girls.” The high school setting is swapped for college, and the social norms are tweaked to align with today's kids, but like Tina Fey’s 2004 classic, the sharpest comedy in “Roommates” comes from the social hierarchy and navigating the thorny world of friendships.
Devon is an easy-to-root-for protagonist. A mixture of naivety and timidness means she’s often her own worst enemy, opting to desclate rather than have an uncomfortable (but vital) conversation. Meanwhile, Celeste is headstrong, not afraid to be blunt, and while she is capable of kindness, often her compliments are laced with acidic inauthenticity.
Their odd couple dynamic is charming for the movie's first half, and when they go from friends to frenemies to full-on enemies, the progression feels natural (you won’t be surprised to know that a boy is involved, a dull TA played by Billy Bryk). “Roommates” also highlights that many of Devon’s issues with Celeste stem from her own insecurities and her inability to establish boundaries. This feels both realistic and adds extra weight to their fallout. These two really should just talk it out.
Frustratingly, there are two major stumbles. The first comes towards the end, where Celeste does something appalling to get back at Devon. This condemnable act is glossed over in favor of the pair’s escalating dorm room war being hung on a squabble over a “cute boy.” It feels a little wrong that something so serious is discarded to focus on boy troubles.
The second is the completely unnecessary narrative framing device, in which Dr. Schilling (Sarah Sherman) recounts the story of Devon and Celeste to a pair of also-squabbling college roommates (Storm Reid and Ivy Wolk) as a sort of parable. The movie regularly returns to this trio for little reason. It harms “Roommates” ability to build up momentum, and in these interstitial sequences are the movie's worst jokes — a slapstick frisbee in the face, and gags about dog poop are just not funny.
Even with its issues and the wholly pointless inclusion of Dr. Schilling and another pair of quarrelling students, “Roommates” still has enough to warrant a watch. It’s got some zings that made me laugh out loud, and Devon is a relatable lead for anybody who’s ever felt a little out of place socially. As far as Netflix original movies go, it’s a cut above many of the platform's previous streaming comedies. But that’s a low bar.
Still not feeling “Roommates”? Here’s a guide to everything new on Netflix in April 2026, with plenty more movie options. Plus, you can check out Tom’s Guide’s review of the platform’s current No. 1 film, “Thrash,” but a warning, this is one shark thriller you might want to skip.
Watch "Roommates" on Netflix now
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